


I'm sorry...

by Grumpykawa



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blindness, can be read as ship, this whole thing is based on a reference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 15:57:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18502231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grumpykawa/pseuds/Grumpykawa
Summary: but I can no longer see...





	I'm sorry...

  They had been running aimlessly through the hallways in the diamond’s palaces, desperately trying to find the way to the tower, which Pearl had mentioned Steven and Connie were probably kept in. Ever since they had reformed in the pitch black room they had been kept in, something seemed off with Pearl, which both Garnet and Amethyst noticed. She seemed a lot quieter, usually, she would’ve been screaming in worry for Steven and Connie by now, but she was unusually silent.

  But Amethyst couldn’t pay mind to that detail, as Garnet suddenly held onto the two and pulled them into a small shadowy hallway as a troop of Topazes ran past them. She stared forward for a second and Amethyst knew her long enough to know she was using her future vision to see if any more patrols were coming. When the large gem was sure they were good, she launched out of the hallway, Amethyst was a bit surprised that she decided to drag Pearl behind her.

  Again, usually the pale gem would’ve complained, but she didn’t say a word as they whipped through the floors, searching for some kind of sign. They soon reached a room of the side, which seemed unsupervised and they branched in. The room seemed abandoned like it wasn’t in use anymore and the shelves seemed to be filled with little portable holograms, maybe some kind of old gem book technology, the purple gem guessed.

    “Maybe they have a map here… Amethyst you take this side and I take this one. Pearl, you should search in back there.”

  The trio branched out, looking through the devices. A lot of them were old manuals for some gem ships built before the war, others were war reports. While Amethyst was plagued with curiousity, she knew now was not the time and that she could look at those reports or anything like that once Steven is done with his “Diplomatic Mission”. If he was okay that is.

  She gulped banishing the thought out of her mind and she looked at Pearl, who seemed to be also searching for a map. Finally Garnet had found one and they settled into a slightly secluded corner of the room, in case someone was to burst into the room. As they leaned against the wall, Garnet opened the hologram. Amethyst settled down next to Pearl, still not able to shake off the uneasiness she felt looking at the pale gem.

  She tried focusing on the map instead. It seemed old, and some hallways were probably added since it was made. Amethyst tried deciphering some of the words, but it seemed like Garnet, who had been staring at it intently the past minute, had at least some kind of idea of were to head. Pearl was staring at it as well, but it was clear for both of them that she seemed unfocused, probably from the stress they were under.

    “It seems like this might be the tower, but some of these hallways don’t seem to add up. Pearl, you have walked these halls before haven’t you? Do you have any idea which way we should best take?”

    “Yeah, I have… well…”, Pearl answered hesitantly and her voice sounded unnervingly distant. She seemed to try desperately to focus on the map in front of her, but to Amethyst, it looked like her eyes weren’t focusing at all. Garnet must’ve noticed as well as she put a hand on the smaller gems shoulder, who flinched at the sudden touch. “Pearl…”

  Pearl tensed up, ignoring the maroon gems words, now frowning at the map, trying to make sense to it, which only fueled Amethyst’s anxiety. But the shivering gem next to her was too lost in the map to notice everyone’s nervousness.  _ Had she been shivering the entire time? _

    “Pearl.”

  Pearl’s head snapped around staring distantly at Garnet and despite her visor, Amethyst could see the frown behind the tinted glass. “Y-yeah… I’m thinking…” Though Pearl still had a sense of uneasiness and nervousness around her, she had grown a lot the last few months. But now it seemed like all that newfound security had evaporated into nothingness.

    “That’s not the problem Pearl”

  Pearl averted her eyes, but they both noticed her unnatural movement as if she was unsure if she had actually moved them away from the gem to her right. Seeing her from this angle, Amethyst was even more unnerved. The usual sheen she had in those sky blue eyes was gone, missing. Her colour seemed much duller than it used to be, though that might’ve just been the bad lighting. But even so, it was unnerving.

  It was then she noticed small cracks in the corner of Pearl’s eyes; just like they had seen with White Pearl. Amethyst moved her hand to touch the distant gems cheek and she seemed to only flinch back as soon as she touched her, tensing up under her hand like she wanted to bolt away. As if she hadn’t seen her reach out to her.

    “Pearl…”, Amethyst started and gulped as the gem looked at her, her eyes filled with an uncanny emptiness. “What’s wrong?”

    “Nothing, I am perfectly fine…”, Pearl snapped half-heartedly and both Garnet and Amethyst could tell she was faking confidence to get them off her shoulder. But this time they wouldn’t just relent and let her suffer with whatever was bothering her, not again. Doing it in the first place had caused them a lot of trouble in the past.

    “Pearl… can I test something.”

  Pearl tensed up but nodded slowly. Hesitantly, Amethyst raised her shaking hand, holding up two fingers in front of Pearl.

    “How many fingers… am I holding up?”

  Pearl fell silent as her body was still shaking like leaf. Her jaw seemed to clench and she swallowed nervously as if something was stuck in her throat. “You can answer, can’t you? If you… can see…”

    “w-well…”

  Amethyst could feel her chest clench as her eyes scanned Pearl’s face for any sort of reaction. but there was none, and when she looked at Garnet, she could see the pain on her face, as if she had already known ever since they had reformed. To Amethyst, it was now painfully obvious.

    “It can’t be…”

  Pearl looked at her, eyes blindly staring off into space, discoloured.

    “I’m sorry, Amethyst… I can… no longer see…”


End file.
